Tesla's move into Malaysia should be a wake-up call for Indonesia

If Jakarta does not show enough flexibility, rivals will win away investments

Avatar
20230731 Indonesia Joko Musk

Indonesian President Joko Widodo, left, talks with Tesla founder Elon Musk in Texas in 2022: Jakarta has been on a drive to attract carmakers to build EVs in the country. (Handout via Reuters)

A. Lin Neumann is managing director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Indonesia.

Tesla's decision last month to set up a regional headquarters in Cyberjaya, Malaysia came as a big embarrassment for Indonesia and as a ground-moving development for Southeast Asia's cultivation of the electric vehicle industry.

Sponsored Content

About Sponsored ContentThis content was commissioned by Nikkei's Global Business Bureau.